Open AccessCOLLEGE STUDENTS’ INTERPRETATION OF RESEARCH REPORTS ON GROUP DIFFERENCES: THE TALL-TALE EFFECT
Author(s) -
Thomas P. Hogan,
Brian A. Zaboski,
Tiffany R. Perry
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
statistics education research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1570-1824
DOI - 10.52041/serj.v14i1.270
Subject(s) - psychology , statistics , interpretation (philosophy) , mathematics education , educational research , variety (cybernetics) , phenomenon , statistical analysis , mathematics , computer science , epistemology , philosophy , programming language
How does the student untrained in advanced statistics interpret results of research that reports a group difference? In two studies, statistically untrained college students were presented with abstracts or professional associations’ reports and asked for estimates of scores obtained by the original participants in the studies. These estimates were converted to inferred effect sizes and compared with the actual effect sizes. Inferred effect sizes substantially overestimated actual effect sizes for all reports, a phenomenon dubbed the tall-tale effect. The effect was obtained with a variety of reports and statistics. The tall-tale effect could be controlled somewhat with simple changes in wording. This finding suggests a program of research which would better calibrate inferences with those actually obtained in the research.First published May 2015 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives